Record 174 Racehorse Deaths in Australia Raise Alarm
Elle
Oct 30th 2025
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In the last 12 months, more than 174 elite thoroughbred racehorse death due to racing or training-related fatal injuries in Australia, which is the highest number of fatalities recorded in the past ten years when such cases were first monitored by animal rights campaigners.
According to the information made public by the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) before the Melbourne Cup, the number of lives of horses used for sporting purposes in one of the most profitable industries of the country is quite alarming. The findings are based on official stewards’ reports, media coverage, and whistleblower information.
According to CPR general manager Helle Erhardsen, each racehorse death listed in the report was verified through public records, Australian racing authorities, or direct communication with trainers or owners. The data covers fatalities resulting from both flat and jumps racing, as well as training-related incidents.
Out of the 174 horses recorded, 85 reportedly died due to fatal front limb fatal injuries. Erhardsen stated that the true number is likely higher, as racehorse deaths occurring during training or at stables often go unreported.
A February Government Information (Public Access) request to Australian racing NSW disclosed that in the 2023-24 period, 138 horses had died or been put down following a race or training injury. The number was over twice as much as what CPR had documented for the same year, which implies that there has been a considerable amount of underreporting of data that are accessible to the public.
During the 2024 – 25 season, 20 horses lost their lives due to accidents on race days in flat races in Victoria only. The CPR report, however, goes on to say that the overall number of those who have died as a result of the first kind of incidents is 40 if fatalities in jumps racing and training are also taken into account.
Such statistics come while the authorities are looking into the safety practices and the welfare of the animals in horse racing. Those who fight for the welfare of animals claim that the first hard-to-notice fact those that the high fatality rate is a direct cause of the problems in the Australian racing practices, the training regimes, and the supervision in care and security of the animals.
The release of the CPR report coincides with internal controversy within Racing Victoria. The organisation is currently facing allegations from its general manager of veterinary services, Dr Grace Forbes, who raised concerns as part of a Fair Work case.
According to the Herald Sun, Forbes alleged that she was encouraged to be more “flexible” in applying veterinary safety protocols when determining whether horses were fit to race. She interpreted this as pressure to soften safety decisions, an allegation Australian Racing Victoria has strongly denied.
According to a spokesperson for Racing Victoria, the organisation was “disappointed to read the unsubstantiated allegations” and “strongly refutes their accuracy.” Also, the spokesperson asserted that the welfare of the horses is still the main concern of the organisation.
Following the seven horse fatalities at the Melbourne Cup from 2013 to 2020, Racing Victoria introduced stricter veterinary safety procedures in 2021. Of the five, each of the tragic cases was a catastrophic leg injury, and all the ill-fated horses were internationals.
Under these protocols, international horses must undergo a CT scan of all distal limbs before flying to Australia. When CT scan is not available, an MRI should be done. After that, the horses undergo more checking up, which include weekly vet checks, pre-race inspections, and several examinations before big events like the Melbourne Cup.
All Melbourne Cup runners, including locally trained horses, must complete a mandatory CT scan and two veterinary inspections before the event. Beginning in 2025, any concerning CT results may be followed up with a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan. The new diagnostic capability was made possible through a government grant to install PET technology at the Werribee International Horse Centre.
These imaging tools are designed to recognize fatal injuries of the bone and soft tissue that may not be visible to the naked eye. An early identification of possible fractures might be the prevention of dramatic situations that could happen during Australian racing or training.
Supporters of animal welfare say that the repeated killings indicate that stricter law enforcement and more openness are required. They argue that if there is no compulsory public disclosure of all racehorse deaths, those in training or living the rest of their lives in the stable, the real extent of the problem will be hidden.
Erhardsen said the CPR’s findings highlight the ongoing cost of horse racing on animal welfare. “Every number in this report represents a horse that suffered a fatal injury in the pursuit of entertainment and profit,” she said.
Industry bodies, however, contend that major changes have been implemented in the last ten years, especially by the means of high-tech veterinary screening and race-day monitoring. They claim that although the risk may never be zero, the continuous funding of safety technology is a way to show the resolve to lessen the number of racehorse deaths.
With the Melbourne Cup coming the CPR’s latest numbers have stirred again the debate about the morality of horse racing in Australia. For the activists, the astonishingly high racehorse death toll record is the first of all the reasons for more rigorous control, complete openness of data, and re-consideration of racing’s influence on animal welfare.
